Electrical connection



Feb. 25, 1941. PAPP ETAL 2,232,963

ELECTRI CAL CONNECT ION Original Filed Aug. 1'7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zmventors; ANDREW E. PAPP JOHN L. WINKS, DECEASED BY EMILY N. WINKS, ADMINISTRATRIX Gttorneg.

Feb. 25, 194:1. PAPP ETAL 2,232,963

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION Original Filed Aug. 1'7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 13 W, W M

ATTORNEYS.

Patented F eb. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION corporation of Illinois Original application August 17, 1936, Serial No. 96,382. Divided and this application January 3, 1939, Serial No. 249,187

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to electrical devices, and more in particular to novel means for effecting a connection between cables in an underground system of electrical distribution, this application being a division of a copending application Serial No. 96,382, filed August 17, 1936 and granted as Patent No. 2,195,630.

Heretofore cables have been connected together or spliced by hand taping in the field. Such 13, joint is unsatisfactory from many standpoints, the principal objections being that the cables are not effectively connected together, the connections are not entirely moisture-proof and are rather cumbersome and difiicult to effect in the field.

The present invention therefore has as an object the idea of providing simple and compact means for easily and readily connecting cables together, the same being water-proof throughout, and being readily accomplished in the field.

The present invention comprehends the idea of providing novel means of simple construction for effecting a connection between a plurality of cables in an underground system of distribution, such means being so constructed and arranged that the cables may be easily and readily connected or disconnected.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel means for connecting a plurality of cables together in an underground systern of distribution wherein the connection between the cables is compact and completely enclosed to provide a water-tight joint between such cables. More particularly, such means is formed with a housing of insulated material completely protecting the connections between the cables.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel connection between a plurality of cables, such connection including as an element a bus bar or connecting member enclosed by a covering of resilient or compressible insulating material. More specifically, the bus bar or connecting member isprovided with a covering of rubber molded in situ over said bus bar or connecting member.

The present invention also includes as an object the idea of connecting a plurality of cables to a bus bar or connecting member as described above by means of connectors, each terminal end of the cables and the associated connector being suitably enclosed by an insulator drawn into tight engagement with the resilient or compressible covering for the bus bar (Cl. 173--Z69) or connecting member at one end and having a novel joint between its other end and the cable.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide novel connectors for connecting or anchoring cables to an element or elements 5 in a system of electrical distribution, such elements, for example, being the bus bar or anchoring support of a switchboard or the like. More particularly, the connectors, where used for connecting the cables to the bus bar, are so constructed as to accommodate the cables when disposed in alignment or in staggered relation.

The present invention further comp-rehends the idea of providing a novel connector for anchoring or supporting one or more cables, such connector being provided with means for supporting the cable, and an insulator provided with a Water-tight joint between the same and the cable.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantages are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of means for connecting a plurality of cables, a part thereof being disclosed in cross-section to show elements of the connecting means more in detail;

Figure 2 is a view in cross-section taken in the plane represented by line 2-2 of Figure 1 of thev drawings;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in crosssection taken in the plane represented by line 3-3 of Figure 2 of the drawings; and

Figure 4 is a view partly in cross-section and partly in elevation of a connector for anchoring or securing the cable to a support.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings,

a connecting means, generally referred to as 2,

is disclosed for connecting together a plurality 0 of cables such as 4 on one side of the connecting means, and cables such as 6 on the opposite side of the connecting means. The connecting means 2 disclosed in the drawings is particularly adapted for use in connecting cables such as 4 and 6 in anunderground system of electrical distribution. The connecting means comprises a connector assembly 8 to which the cables 4 and 6 are connected in alignment by connectors II! which are of similar construction, one only of which will be hereinafter referred to.

The connector assembly 8 is formed with a drawn copper bar l2 having a plurality of transversely extending threaded openings I 4 therethrough, these threaded openings serving to provide means whereby the connector means III are secured to the connector assembly. The bar I2 is insulated and protected by an insulating covering I6 which, in accordance with the present invention, is of rubber of gasket stock and oil and water-resisting and which is molded in situ on the bar I2. It is of course understood that in the molding of the rubber insulating material on the drawn copper bar I2, suitable openings in this insulating covering are provided in alignment with the openings I4 provided in the bar.

The cables to which the connector means I are secured are of the sheathed type each having the sheath removed adjacent the terminal end of the cable to expose the cable strands 22. This terminal end of the cable is secured to the bar I2 by means of a connector 24. This connector 24 comprises a cable receiving member 26 which is formed with a threaded stud portion 28 at one end adapted to be threaded in the threaded opening I4 for securing the cable and the connector means to the bus bar or connecting member as by means of applying a tool to the non-circular portion 29 whereby this non-circular portion abuts the face of the bus bar or connecting member adjacent the opening as at 3|. This cable receiving member 26 is formed at its other end with a sleeve 30 which is provided with oppositely disposed slots 32. Disposed between the sleeve 30 and the threaded stud portion 28 is provided a recess 34 which is adapted to receive the extreme I end of the cable terminal for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

Disposed within the sleeve 38 and mounted upon the cable terminal is a split wedge or clamping member 36 formed with wedge elements 38 and 40 adapted to extend through the slots 32 of the cable receiving member and a collar 31 adapted to embrace said cable. The sleeve portion 30 is provided with external threads 42 and is adapted to threadedly receive the wedge following member 44 which is provided with an annular wedge element 46 adapted to engage the wedge elements 38' and 40 upon movement of the same with respect to the cable receiving member to force the wedge elements 38 and 40 into gripping engagement with the cable strands. The extreme end of the cable terminal is prevented from becoming frayed or moving outwardly under the clamping action of the wedge elements 38 and 40 by the side walls of the recess 34 which effectively retains the same in place.

In order to protect the connector 24 and the terminal end of the cable, the connector means further includes a housing 48 in the form of a nipple or sleeve which may be of molded Bakelite construction, or any other suitable insulating material, this sleeve threadedly engaging the wedge follower 44 as at 50 whereby the same may be forced into intimate abutting relation with the resilient insulating covering I6 of the bus bar or connecting member by means of applying a tool to the non-circular portion 52.

The outer end of the nipple or sleeve 48 is threaded as at 54 to threadedly receive the gland nut 56 which serves to compress a rubber bushing 58 between the nipple and the sheath 20 of the cable to provide a tight yet flexible joint at the outer extremity of the nipple 48. In order to provide an effective joint, the resilient or compressible rubber bushing is provided with an inclined wedge surface 50 adapted to cooperate with a wedge surface 62 formed on the compression nut 58 and is further provided with wedge surface 84 adapted to cooperate with a similar wedge surface 66 provided on the interior of the sleeve 48 at its outer extremity.

It will be quite apparent from the above de scription that the cables are eifectively connected together by the connector means described, and such connection between the cables is fully pro tected by the housing formed in part by the non-resilient sleeves 48 of insulating material and in part by the resilient or compressible covering I6 of insulating material. Furthermore, the resiliency of the insulating covering or material I6 provides for a tight joint between the same and the sleeves 48 when the same are forced into place, and a tight joint is provided atthe extremity of each of the sleeves 48 and the cables'by means of the resilient or compressible bushings 58 which are efiectively forced into place to provide the tight joints between the cables and the connector means. Openings in the bus bar or connecting member on either one or both sides thereof which are not used for securing cables to the bar or connecting member may be closed by blank plugs 68 of insulating material if desired, to provide the completed housing referred to hereinbefore.

The present invention also comprehends the idea of providing a novel connector for anchoring or securing a cable to an element or elements in a system of electrical distribution. For example, in Figure 4 of the drawings, the cable H38 has secured at its unsheathed terminal end a connector I82 constructed essentially to correspond to the connector shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings. This connector and terminal end of the cable are enclosed by a housing in the form of a sleeve of non-resilient insulating material I84 between one end of which and the cable I88 is a joint I86 constructed in accordance with similar joints disclosed in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings. The connector I82 varies from the connector of Figures 1 j."

to 3 inclusive in that the cable receiving mem- I88 thereof is provided with flanges I90 adapted to abut the sleeve I84 to provide a tight joint therebetween, a gasket I92 being used, if

desired. Furthermore, this member I88 is formed with a flat extension I94 formed with an eye I96 which is adapted to fit over the stud I98 disposed on a bracket 200 which may be secured to a switchboard or the like.

It will be quite apparent from the above description that the embodiments disclosed herein and which are used for connecting or anchoring cables provide compact and water-proof means which can be readily assembled and disassembled as desired. Such connector means eliminates the necessity of taping in the field and as has been disclosed, serves to connect cables under varying structural conditions.

While we have herein described and upon the drawings shown illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A cable connector comprising a cable receiving member having a bore extending axially inwardly from one end thereof, said member having a radially disposed slot extending axially from said end and communicating with said bore, a wedge member having a collar embracing said cable and having a wedge element disposed in said slot, said wedge element being provided with a wedge surface radially exterior of said cable receiving member and being inclined toward said end, and a wedge follower threaded on said cable receiving member adjacent said end and cooperating with said wedge element for urging said wedge element into wedging relation with said cable.

2. A cable connector comprising a cable receiving member having a bore extending axially inwardly from one end thereof, said member having a radially disposed slot extending axially from said end in communication with said bore and terminating in spaced relation from the inner end of said bore to provide for an uninterrupted recess at the end of said bore for receiving the end of said cable, a Wedge member having a collar embracing said cable and having a wedge element disposed in said slot, said wedge element being provided with a wedge surface radially exterior of said cable receiving member and being inclined toward said end, and a wedge follower threaded on said cable receiving member adjacent said end and cooperating With said wedge element for urging said wedge element into wedging relation with said cable.

3. A cable connector comprising a cable receiving member having a bore extending axially inw'ardly from one end thereof, said member having a radially disposedslot extending axially from said end and communicating with said bore, a wedge member having a collar embracing said cable disposed axially exteriorly of said end and a wedge element disposed in said slot, said wedge element being provided at its end disposed adjacent the inner end of said slot with a part having awedge surface radially exterior of said cable receiving member and being inclined toward said end thereof and an intermediate part disposed radially inwardly of the circumference of said cable receiving member and connecting said first-named part with said collar, and a wedge follower embracing said cable receiving member and said wedge element, said wedge follower being threaded on said cable receiving member adjacent said end and having a wedge surface cooperating with the wedge surface of said wedge element for urging said wedge element into wedging relation with said cable.

ANDREW E. PAPP. EMILY N. WINKS, Administratria: of the Estate of John L. Winks,

Deceased. 

